Q: I had a cone biopsy (conization) of my cervix. Will that affect my fertility?

A: Treatments to the cervix for cervical dysplasia and other problems include laser or cryosurgery (freezing), a cone biopsy or conization by cold knife, or LEEP (loop electrical excision procedure). These procedures can affect fertility and decrease your ability to get pregnant because they destroy cervical glands. Cervical glands produce cervical mucus, which plays a role in fertility by enabling sperm to pass through the cervix. Insufficient or absent cervical mucus may prevent sperm from reaching the inside of the uterus.